Last Tuesday I posted a blog about living in the present. Are we losing our ability to stay engaged in what is going on right in front of us, right here, right now?

How many times have you participated in a conversation where you were not completely present? You were physically present, but not mentally or emotionally.

Have you ever talked to someone who kept glancing at their smart phone to read a text or social media update? Or, worse, they send a text or update their social media while you are talking to them?

Confession time—how many of you do that yourself? Raise your hand…go ahead, tweet it or update your FB status with the following—”I confess that I read text, twitter or FB messages on my smart phone while I am ‘listening’ to a person that is right in front of me.”

What is up with that? Do we understand anymore what it means to fully engage our present reality?

I am as guilty as the next person. And for those friends of mine that are patting themselves on the back because somehow they have resisted the smart phone and social media world so far…you are just as guilty, you just use old-school tactics.

Here is what I think the issue is…

God created us with a hunger for satisfaction and fulfillment. We want to associate with and feel connected to something that matters.

The problem is that all the things, people, celebrities, etc. that scream for our attention are not able to nor never will satisfy or fulfill us. Yet, we continue to crave each other’s attention. Today’s technology feeds this addiction.

Our focus is on the wrong person.

What we really want is God’s Presence.

A term God uses to describes Himself is…I Am! How interesting. The name God uses for Himself demonstrates the essence of Presence.

God is the only One who can make our present reality fulfilling. He is the One who makes sense of this life.

Do you want healthy relationships that have meaning?

Invite I AMinto the relationships with your spouse, family, friends and neighbors. If you spent time interceding for these in your life instead of texting, tweeting and face booking, I bet you will see an incredible shift in these relationships.

We want God’s Presence when we worship

And, what would happen if our focus was on His Presence when we gathered to worship instead of on the attendance of well-adjusted people able to give their time and money?

Let’s stand on His promise that He will draw all men to Himself if we lift Him up.

Forgive us Lord for our short attention span. We really are like sheep gone astray, each to our own way.

Here is what I am going to do. I am going to put my smart phone away when others are talking to me. My almost three-year-old son is my best accountability partner on this. He is already hollering at me when we are playing, “noo…put away your phone!”

I am also going to focus on His Presence in times of meditation and worship. I know—sounds like a no-brainer. But, if you are like me, I struggle with distractions both in my personal meditation and in corporate worship.

Will You Join Me in Seeking His Presence? And, Being a Person Who Lives in a Present Reality?

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I am a longtime Austinite. Married my beautiful wife over 25 years ago. Adopted our son September 2012. Currently a writer and loving it. Previous jobs and careers include project management, missionary, and pastor. I enjoy sports (both watching and playing), traveling, reading, digging in dirt and hanging with my friends and family.